Apparatus for forming castings



March 14, 1939. F. H. LE JEUNE APPARATUS FOR FORMING CASTINGS FiledSept. 28, 1936 2 She9ts-Sheet l FIG.I.

INVENTOR FRANK H. LeJEUNE A TT ORNE S March 14, 1939. F. H. LE JEUNE2,150,510

APPARATUS FOR FORMING CASTINGS Filed Sept. 28, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVIVOR F ANK H.LeJEUNE FIG FIG.4.

Patented Mer. 14, 1939 PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FORMING CASIINGSFrank H. Le Jeune, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Kelsey-flayes WheelCompany, Detroit, Mich.,

a corporation of Deiaware Application September 28, 1936. Serial No.103,027

1 Claim.

The invention relates to the manufacture of castings and refers moreparticularly to the method of forming castings and the apparatus used.

Among the objects of the invention are the provision of an improvedmethod andan improved apparatus for the economica] manufacture ofuniionnly good castings. Another object is to reduce the amount of metalto be remelted by eliminating long sprues, gates and feed heads andcombining the riser with the sprue, gate and feed head. Further objectsare to control the velocity of the molten metal entering the moldcavity; to strain the molten metal before it enters the mold cavity; andthe provision of an improved construction for carrying out thesefunctions.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus for formingcastings, showing an embodiment of my invention;

Figure 2 is a cross section on the line 2-! of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing another embodiment of myinvention;

Figure 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

My invention is particularly applicable to the manufacture'of coppersilicon castings and, as illustrated, these castings are copper siliconcombined hub and brake drum castings for use with wheels of motorvehicles made by a well-known manufacturer.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2,1 15 a mold comprising the drag 2 andthe cope 3, which together form the mold cavity. This mold cavity hasthe generaily vertically extending annular portion 4, the lateralportion 5 connecting into thegeneraily verticaily extending portion andleading toward the axis of the mold cavity, and the central generallyvertically extending portion 6 connecting into the lateral portion. Theperipherai cavity portion 4 is adapted to form the annular brake flangeof the brake drum, the latera] cavity portion 5 the web of the brakedrum, and the central cavity portion 6 the wheel hub. This latterportion extends both above and below its junction with the lateralportion and radial grooves 1 are preierably formed in the moldcavityextending between the lateral portion and that part or the centralportion extending below its junction with the iateral portion to formradial reiniorcing ribs. v

8 is a ram-up core formed of core material rammed in place in the drag.This ramup core forms the mold cavity surface at the junction of theperiphera] portion 4 and lateral portion and also the outer lowersurface of the lateral portion5 and the lateraily inner surface of theperipheral portion 4. The drag has its remaining portion formed of greensand and includes the portion 9 in which the grooves 1 are formed. Inaddition, there is the preformed core Il! positioned centrally of themold cavity and extending. upwardly therefrom. The cope is formed. ofgreen sand Il, which defines the upper and laterally outer surfaces ofthe mold cavity. In addition, there is the pouring cup I2 in the natureof a preformed core of core materiai which extends upwardly above thecope and which engages the upper end of the core l0 to position the samewithin the mold cavity. The molten metal is adapted to be poured intothis cup and to pass therefrom into the upper end of the mold cavity andto then fiow throughout the cavity to fil] the same. The preformed corein and the ramup core 8 have surfaces in the zones of change ofdirection of the molten metal so that this molten metal will not destroythe shape of the mold cavity or have imbedded therein, at least to anyharmful extent, any of the material forming the surface 01" the moldcavity.

For the purpose of preventing the entrance of slag into the mold cavityand also for the purpose of controlling the velocity of the molten metalentering the mold cavity and in fact reducing the velocity which itwouldotherwse have, I have provided the strainer I3 at the lower end of thepouring cup I2. This strainer is integral with and in fact forms thebottom of the pouring cup and it serves to position the upper end of thecore III. The strainer is provided with the annular series oi!substantiafly vertically extending openings M therethrough whichregister with the upper end of the central portion 6'of the mold cavity.The construction is such that during the pouring the molten metal Withinthe pouring cup serves as a shrink head to supply molten metal to thecasting being formed in the mold cavity upon shrinkage of the metal inthis mold cavity. Also with this construction slag and other impuritiesare prevented from entering the mold cavity and further the velocity ofthe molten metal entering the mold cavity is controlled and preferablyreduced from that it would otherwlse have if the strainer were notpresent.

Furthermore, the size of the strainer openings 13 such that after thecasting has been 1ormed it can be readiiy separated from its shrink headby breaking the individual gates formed in the openings [4 of thestrainer. Furthermore. with this method and apparatus, there is arelatively small amount of metal which can be considered scrap and whichmust be remelted.

The apparatus as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, is broadly similar tothat illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. In this apparatus the preformedcore [5 does'not extend upwardly through the mold cavity, the combinedhub and brake drum assembly being that for a rear wheel. In thisapparatus the pouring cup I6 communicates directly at its lower end withthe upper portion of the mold cavity. This pouring cup is considerablyhigher than the pouring cup I! and the strainer H 1s locatedsubstantially midway between its upper and lower ends to provide'ashrink head l8 for compensating for shrinkage in the mold cavity andespecialiy in the central or hub forming portion thereof; The straineris provided total area. of the openin8s is suoh that sufloient moltenmetal will pass therethrough to main a mold cavity having a gerxeraliyaxially extendingbrake flange portion, 9. generally radially extendlngweb portion connecting into said brake fiange portion, a generallyaxiaily extending hub portion connecting into said web portion; 3,preformed core positionedcentrallyof said hub portion and forming acavity surface therefor, a ram-up annular core positioned adjacent theradially inner side of said brake flange portion and adjacent thejunction of the web portion and the brake fiange portion and formingcavity surfaces theretor, a preformed pouring cup in said cope,

said cup having a strainer forming the bottom of said cup, said strainerbeing engageable with the upper end of said first mentioned core toposition the latter, and green sand portions in other sections of saidcope and drag.

FRANK H. LE JEUNE.

